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Thursday, March 29, 2007

Obituary Warner S. DRENAN, Vermont

WARNER S. DRENAN

Warner S. DRENAN is dead. After years of suffering, he breathed his last, Thursday night at his residence on Highland Ave., surrounded by dear friends, in the presence of a loving wife and baby children. It is not known how long he had been ill nor how much he had suffered. Born of hardy, pioneer parents, his wasn’t a nature that would complain and it is evident that he has suffered in silence for several years. The recent and more severe illness came upon him more than a year ago and cause was then diagnosed as consuption. About three months ago he was prostrated with the terrible malady and from which prostration he never recovered. Kind hands of loving friends ministered tohis every wnt and the best professional service was tendered him, but the fell destroyer had a too tenacious grasp on a constitution never strong and he passed away as in a gentle sleep, mourned by friends, relatives and neighbors alike. The editor of the GAZETTE regrets to state that he had no personal acquaintance with Mr. DRENAN, but he notes that his neighbors were his friends and a shadow of sorrow seems to hang over the whole community in the untimely demise of this popular young man. He has been a resident of Hardwick since he was five years of age.

He was born at Fort Slocum in 1864 and moved here with his father in 1869. Though bereft of a mother’s careduring his tender years his manly nature led him in paths that were right and he grew to manhood with attainments that, had he health, would have given him a peerage among peers. A close student at the Hardwick Academy, at the age of seventeen he was possessed of qualifications that entitled him to the positon of teacher which fact was taken advantage of and he followed that vocation for eight years, teaching the East Hardwick school successfully for seven terms.

In 1889 he married Miss Alma M. SILLOWAY, an estimable young lady of Elmore, who had been an assistant teacher to him during several terms. It may have been about this time that Mr. DRENAN became cognizant of the malady that later caused his demise. Leaving bright prospects at the old home, taking with him his bride of but a few hours he went to Sprague, Wash., where he secured a lucrativ position with the Union Pacific railroad. After five years of constant labor there he returned to Hardwick the illness of his father demanding his attention. Since then he has earned his livelihood by such light work as he was able to do.

The funeral was heldd from the Methodist Episcopal church last Saturday at one o’clock, Rev. W. S. SMITHERS officiating. The Hardwick band of which the deceased was an honored member attended the procession from the residence to the church thence to the cemetery, rendering beautiful dirges, of which the deceased was fond in life.

One of the largest congregations ever assembled in the M. E. church was present to do homage to an honest man. The floral offerings were very beautiful and were ingeniously arranged among the floral tributes was a very beautiful wreath in the centre of which were the letters “H. C. B.” The arrangement of the flowers was made by Miss Carrie WILLIAMS. A large procession followed the remains to the new cemetry. There he peacefully sleeps on the hillside among the flowers of his native town, and though interred with sorrow and gloom the birds are singing requiems over the new made mound in joy that a suffering soul has been released from troulbe and is at last at rest.

Some other world is glad to seeOne star that ‘s gone away;The light whose going makes our nightMakes somewhere else a day.

(No date or name of paper noted) Transcribed by Ruth Barton, 11 March 2007. Her comments in ( )